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Cowboys win just the start, say NRL Tigers

Joe Barton

Buoyed by a win which snapped the longest losing streak in Wests Tigers history, coach Mick Potter hopes it can be the catalyst which restarts their NRL campaign.

The Tigers scraped home on Friday night with a two-point victory decided by winger David Nofoaluma, who scored with two minutes remaining.

It was the sort of win which was filled with moments of good fortune that eluded them over the opening 10 rounds, where injuries and poor form manifested themselves into a club record seven-game losing streak.

Knowing full well what it meant to the fans, and the players, Potter didn't hold back when asked what it could do for their season.

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"It could launch us the other way where we could win a few on the back of that," he said.

"If we can keep that teamwork and that want.

"You can't buy that sort of stuff.

"It is something that is either there or it is not. And it was there (on Friday night).

"The momentum from that will be fantastic."

After getting through a mountain of work on the field, having made a game-high 58 tackles, Tigers skipper Robbie Farah said the hard work off it was not yet done.

He too, believes the Tigers are capable of achieving more than they've shown this year and urged his teammates to use their stirring victory over the Cowboys as a stepping stone.

When asked if it had been the toughest on-field period of his career, Farah said: "Yeah, but it's not over. We're not out of it. We're still sitting last."

"That's just the beginning," he said.

"It's a step in the right direction, but we've got a long way to go.

"We've got the bye next week and then another tough game at Penrith. We've got to back that up.

"...For a lot (of the young players in the team) it's their first win they've ever had in first grade.

"They'll enjoy that feeling and hopefully they grow a leg from it."

Much of the Tigers' lacklustre start to the season has fallen onto the shoulders of star playmaker Benji Marshall, who bounced back from his benching with a typically mixed bag performance.

But the under-pressure five-eighth did come up big in key moments of the game - including his controversial first half try, but equally importantly his impressive kicking in atrocious conditions.

Marshall slotted three from four attempts, which ultimately proved the difference between the two sides as renowned goalkicker Johnathan Thurston was able to nail just two of four.

But what impressed Potter most was Marshall's attitude without the ball in hand, praising the New Zealand international's application in defence.